of them. That hurt." The Worst Witch Many critics have noted that Jill Murphy's The Worst Witch series (first published in 1974 by Allison & Busby), is set in a school for girls, "Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches", reminiscent of Hogwarts. The story concerns Mildred Hubble, an awkward pupil at a boarding-school for witches, who faces a scheming, blonde and snobbish high-born rival student, and she is best friends with a know-it-all witch and a prankster witch. Her professors include a kindly and elderly headmistress and a bullying, raven-haired potions teacher. Murphy has commented on her frustration at constant comparisons between her work and Harry Potter: "It's irritating … everyone asks the same question and I even get children writing to ask me whether I mind about Hogwarts and pointing out similarities. Even worse are reviewers who come across my books, or see the TV series, and, without taking the trouble to find out that it's now over quarter of a century since I wrote my first book, make pointed remarks about 'clever timing' – or say things like 'the Worst Witch stories are not a million miles from JK Rowling's books'. The implications are really quite insulting!" Magic in the Mist The character of Harry Potter is similar to Margaret Mary Kimmel's character Tom in Magic in the Mist (1975)—a boy who tries to learn magic, befriends a dragon, and has a snake, badger, and raven as his friends. The illustrations in the book bear a close resemblance to those that would be drawn for Harry Potter. Star Wars The Harry Potter series shares many similarities with George Lucas's Star Wars with respect to main characters, especially heroes and villains, as well as story plotlines. Scholar Deborah Cartmell states that Harry Potter story is based as much on Star Wars as it is on any other text. The life of Harry Potter, the main hero of the series, parallels that of Luke Skywalker, who is the main hero of the Original Star Wars trilogy with both characters living dull and ordinary lives until a later age when they are recruited by an older mentor. Harry Potter trains to become a wizard at his late childhood and mentored by Albus Dumbledore in facing his destiny and enemy Lord Voldemort; whereas Luke Skywalker trains to become a Jedi at his early adulthood and is mentored by Obi-Wan Kenobi in facing his